Alone Together
by A1995C
Summary: It's a wonderful life. What will happen to a single Eric and Jackie? (Published before).


I DO NOT OWN THAT '70s SHOW. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

**A/N:** Originally published 6-17-12. Reedited!

**Alone Together**

Chapter One

Saturday, 1977

Eric settled lazily on the peach duct-taped couch, shoving the green rectangular sunflower pillow to the side to rest his head on the arm rest with one leg on the soft cushion. He was lost in meditation as he beamed at the grainy static television screen remotely, soaking up the moment of sheer solitude pantsless. It was nice to take a breather from Kelso's brainless character, Hyde's anti-establishment rants, and Fez's neediness, Donna's feminist derision. Although the silent moment was great while it lasted, he groaned when distinct footsteps could be heard making their way to the basement from outside but he wasn't urgent to put his pants back on, assuming it would be one of the boys.

The unfamiliar rapid series of tapping feet ceased at the last step as he waited for the entrance to fly open, maybe exposing one of the four's goofy faces that'll yap something of less importance which, unlikely, was routine for Eric. It seemed as if his friends did it on purpose, not caring he desired to relax in peace and quiet before heading to work with his unpleasant and unpleasing father. After a couple of seconds, the blinds shielding the glass panels drifted then slammed back against the door when it was closed shut, revealing the last person he expected who shrieked piercingly, "I'm back," following an excited giggle and patter of hand claps.

"Jackie?" Eric jolted from his adequate position to a sitting position to peg that the dark-haired angel that provided a glow to the basement with a haze before him was her indeed, wearing a pink blouse and bell bottoms with naturally curly hair worn in an intricate low ponytail that excluded a few strands artistically from the holder. Her full face radiated youth and innocence with the addition of salmon pink lips and rosy pale skin, dramatizing the heterochromia in her twinkling irises. Before his eyes could lower to view the rest of her breathtaking body while he stood up, she closed the distance to give him a lasting sweet pea scented hug in which he reciprocated a little too enthusiastically.

"Oh, I missed you so much, Eric," she moaned faintly against his neck, her heavy eyelashes tickling him as they fluttered like butterfly wings in springtime. He was not only stupefied that she missed him, or that she was absent for half of the summer without a trace and showed out of the blue, but because of the set of breasts that were mashed against his cranberry Pricemart smock. This was the closest he had ever been to Jackie, able to feel her heart (which he thought she was deficient in like the Tin man) throb against his chest worryingly fast. Perhaps she was just as nervous as he was despite he was only a socially inept teen, craving this closeness to the opposite sex that she genuinely supplied.

After what seemed like eternity she released her grip from his neck and stepped back to study the extra inch he grew, taking into account his square cleft chin and chiseled jaw line, his defined sculpted nose and the four solid brown circles decorating the left side of his light beige face that she played connect the dots with visually before locking eyes with his beautiful celery irises that seemed to change color depending on the light source, housed underneath his dark long eyebrows. Besides the maturity in his bone structure, the way he styled his hair made a big difference that contributed to him appearing ripe at seventeen. It was trimmed regularly to a tamable length and instead of arranging it entirely over his forehead, he found combing it across in a feathered fashion more tasteful and even punctuated his waves. "Where in the hell have you been," he finally asked after her tedious examination. "Kelso started to consider alien abduction or you were truly a machine resembling that of a human being, able to replicate human movements and functions."

"Nobody told you," Jackie frowned in disappointment from his lack of knowledge and lack of pants, trying her best not to glance at his white and blue striped boxers again as she was embarrassed.

Eric cleared his throat awkwardly while slipping his khakis on and fastening the button briskly as he thought over her question. He didn't care about her whereabouts when she didn't arrive for roll call in the basement, rather enjoying the absence of the vociferous princess. At the time, he found her presence equivalent to an annoying barking Chihuahua you'd like to smack into submission, but the Jackie he was talking to now seemed different. Not only was she prettier, but most importantly she sounded likeable with a soft tone. "No, but I assumed it had something to do with Kelso."

Jackie sighed as they simultaneously sat on the couch, realizing she was all too predictable to her liking. Her life had no sense of direction, associated with someone who didn't deserve the title of being her boyfriend, let alone an ex. Picking at the silver duct tape purposely stuck to the ripped upholstery, refusing eye contact due to her shame, she confirmed, "I wouldn't come out of my room after the break up unless to gorge with comfort food. Dad noticed so he bought a plane ticket for me to visit my mother in California...get a little sun."

"By the look of you I can tell you didn't catch much rays," he ducked his head down ridiculously an inch away from her diverted face, indicating he wanted her undivided attention as she was concentrating on the narrow strip of sticky material.

She immediately sat up and became aware of her company, looking directly into his eyes as she apologized. "Sorry, that was rude of me," she chuckled with furrowed brows and a weak smile.

"Jackie, what _happened,"_ Eric asked in a concerned tone of voice. The way she was talking to him respectively initiated his worriedness and left him dumbfounded, wanting to know if anything traumatic occurred that had changed her all-about-me attitude or you-don't-matter perspective. In case that wasn't the circumstance, he scanned the lemon scented basement for a signpost, or a watching Rod Serling for speaking as long as they have been without her pestering or lowering his self-esteem.

Assuming he was referring to the reason why she didn't get much sunlight, she explained, "There were a lot of pretty boy airheads with long hair that reminded me of Michael there which prevented me from going outside, hence, the loss of my once cocoa brown skin. The good part about my vacation though is that I got to stay at a beach house with a gym that helped me release pent-up anger and stress all the while getting into shape." Her eyes subconsciously flickered to his arm then shot up, only to drop down again as she observed how fitted his size small smock was over his lean, yet brawny body. _"Hubba_ _Bubba!_ What have _you_ been doing this summer," she asked teasingly while squeezing his bicep.

"Oh, that," Eric asked as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, wondering how she hadn't noticed during their long embrace. "That's just the result of heavy lifting for seven hour shifts I guess...and bench pressing," he added nonchalantly with a shrug as he lifted the remote to change the channel to a clearer picture. "It's not that big of a deal, really."

The youngest member of the group gasped lightly in protest having composed an idea. "Well sure it is, Eric! We can be exercise buddies!" His expressionless face didn't alter as he continued to flip through channels which made Jackie suppose he wasn't up to the offer. But once he stopped on Andy Griffith and looked at her, she chimed with a ring to her voice while blinking three times so he couldn't turn down her proposition, "It would be great to talk to someone who has the same interests that I do and can keep me motivated, you know?"

Eric's eyebrows twitched as he proceeded to stare blankly, her pouting plea finalizing his mercy ridden decision. "Jackie," he sighed while glancing at the ceiling, "if you are asking me to observe attentively the humbling of your excessive pride and admiration through heavy perspiration and expressions of vast effort, I am _very_ much obliged," he smiled and patted her back before she thanked him with sincere appreciation. Where could harm possibly lie in going for a jog with the company of a familiar face anyway? "To document this rare occasion of self-effacing," he began to joke with the intentions of her loosening up a bit, "would you be keen to the idea of me bringing a Polaroid camera along for the trip?"

Jackie cocked her head to side amused and tried, "Go right on ahead if you are serious. It would be _so_ awesome to shove the pictures in Donna, Hyde and Kelso's face, who think I get things handed to me when in fact, I am an _achiever_ that earns what I've got. I mean if I weren't, would I have this body," she stood up for Eric's judgment, comfortable with him as she always was.

He leaned comfortably against the couch and rested his arm along the headboard while examining her fully achieved 'goal.' Jackie's small bust and waist were the same measurement, emphasizing the round shapely hips and nice short legs; she was a pear. Perhaps she _did_ take physical fitness seriously, slightly overshadowing Eric's impressed nod with disappointment once he recalled a bet made with Kelso months ago. He'd be ten bucks out of pocket by tomorrow.

Instructing Jackie to turn using his index finger to ensure it was an unbiased wager, she slowly rotated in a circle as he peered at her robust back side, his mouth dropping with a gasp having noticed a new juicy asset. She immediately plopped on the couch beside him, needless to say, embarrassed by his inevitable discovery which didn't go unnoticed by an observant Eric. "Because you flaunt such mortification with glistening incompatible eyes and a tough swallow, I'll let you off easy...you _overachiever,_ you," he slapped her thigh tauntingly with every syllable, testing her kindness.

"Thanks for being so kind to spare me," Jackie tapped his smooth cheek lightly. Itching to retaliate to his teasing, she suddenly remembered she came with the intent to come clean about something important, the reason why she was being, maybe temporarily, nice. Now that the subject was other than that of California, thinking of a way to build up the confession was a tough task now.

Eric furrowed his brows once she started rocking back and forth suspiciously, staring at a Tiger Beat periodical on the round wooden table beside strawberry incense and lemon candles. "Do you have to pee? If so, feel free to take Donny Osmond with you to the bathroom in the back," he offered the magazine.

Subsequent to that question, Jackie stopped moving in a way that would suggest such a thing. The longer and longer she waited the more reluctant and scared she was to admit, afraid of his reaction which would most likely be awkward. Why not go ahead and spit it out while on the interesting topic of bodily fluids? "No and Donny is not my type. Uh, where's Donna," she stalled.

The intellectually talented young adult squinted, onto the eyebrow raising broad. Heavy breaths and biting her lip as if she were mustering courage made her urge to disclose something more evident. The holding back from snappish remarks supported that surmise. "She's at the Hub. Look, is there anything else you want to ask me...or tell me?"

Jackie sighed, rescued by his question. "I know you are probably wondering why I was so excited to see you and why I am being nice, I mean of _course _that is what you are thinking. The reason for that is..._well—."_

"Let's go dumbass before you make me late to work," Red said sternly in his Pricemart outfit as he ran down the old steps until his unaffected son, who remained seated on the couch, could see him. The war veteran wore an expression that of disparity and carelessness while rolling the cuffs of his loose smock to appear more manageresque.

His puzzled offspring glanced left and right comically before clarifying, "Uh, Dad, I've been ready for an hour. I was waiting for _you."_

"Keep it up smart-mouth and I'll adjust your schedule to working alongside Musty Sally in that sauna of a stock room. And why are you still _sitting? _When I say it's time to go you better hop out of that chair like your ass bumped the pit of hell! Oh, hello Jackie," Red smiled chipper as she greeted him back. "Boy, you should show your face around here more often. I'm tired of looking at Eric and his funny-looking friends," he complimented and insulted before going back upstairs to retrieve the keys from the kitchen table and exit through the sliding door.

Eric exhaled and hopped over the couch secret-agent style, bracing himself for a long saturday. "That'll be my cue to depart. Musty Sally is really musty, you know."

Defeated by Red's interruption, Jackie walked towards the basement door while shielding her fleshy globes unnecessarily and amusingly with her hands. "I understand. I'll talk to you later. Bye," she exclaimed before leaving with less spirit she walked in with.

"Weird," he muttered as he ran up the stairs two at a time, forgetting she was in the process of avowal.

**A/N:** (Just in case you haven't noticed) I revised and reedited this chapter and will continue to do so as the story progresses. In case you haven't already guessed, this is an Alternate Universe story in terms of relationships and Jackie's personality slightly. It's also like the 'It's a Wonderful Life' episode yet better comes from Eric being single and the addition is that Jackie is single as well. Thank you so much **DFT** for being so kind and helping me get my stories back. I really appreciate you ^.^!


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